2005 - S&T In the NR Program 1949-1959

This interesting article on Science and Technology (S&T) in the Naval Reactors Program, 1949–1959 by CAPT Robert L. Bovey (Ret) was published in the October 2005 edition of the Naval Submarine League THE SUBMARINE REVIEW. It reviews how the NR program, under Rickover, developed the scientific and technological foundation for nuclear-powered submarines during its formative decade.

Major points discussed:

• From 1949 to 1959, NR transitioned nuclear propulsion from theory to reality. The program focused on three reactor types—pressurized water (PWR), sodium-cooled, and gas-cooled—but ultimately committed to the PWR design, which became the dominant naval and commercial technology. Critical research included materials development, particularly in zirconium alloys for fuel cladding, and the resolution of corrosion and hydrogen absorption issues.

  
  

• NR’s management style was unique: a tightly integrated Navy–AEC office, a strong emphasis on technical competence, and centralized control over contractors and labs. NR operated as a “demanding customer,” directing R&D toward mission-specific outcomes rather than open-ended exploration.

  
  

• Training and personnel were core to its success, with rigorous staff development and long tenures ensuring deep institutional knowledge. Rickover’s insistence on individual accountability and mission relevance led to rapid progress, culminating in the launch of the Skipjack-class submarine and the world’s first commercial PWR at Shippingport in 1957.

The article presents NR as a model of focused, government-led technological innovation in support of national defense.

The copy attached from NR-HA files has some significant editing to correct misspellings, typos, and correcting references. It is courtesy of Richard J Severinghaus, Editor, The Submarine Review, Naval Submarine League.

Reprinted from The Submarine Review, October 2005, p. 57-76, with permission/Naval Submarine League.